XWord Muggles Forum

The meta for this puzzle is a musical supergroup.

Huh. I got the submission confirmation email with what I'm certain is the correct answer, there have been updates since I submitted, and yet I'm not on the board.

Edit: Pete has shown mercy and I'm on there.

Anyway, nice grid and amusing meta.

On the leaderboard fun one!

I submitted before starting the grid and ended up at #2, then filled the grid and solved. First time I've ever done that before, I guess I got a wild hair. Can't believe I wasn't # 1 though!!

spotter, your way certainly saves time! I can’t imagine how you did it though. Please enlighten us after the deadline.

I got bogged down in the northeast quadrant of the grid, and even went to google, because I was getting impatient to get to the meta. Thought it was a little tricky, and surprised to see 35 people already on the board by the time I made it!

Enjoyed it!

Wonderful puzzle, clever meta -- and a marvelous supergroup indeed! But that grid was a toughie.

Excellent! The grid took way longer than the meta, but I finally finished both.

Really tough grid. Really fun meta. I loved every minute of this one!

Enjoyable meta, but the grid was really hard for me.

Grid took way much more effort than the meta. Fun puzzle.

I’m on the board! Brain hurts a little from this one.

On the board. I agree that the grid was tough. It was fun to work out this meta - not totally trivial, but straightforward.

Agreed -- my northeast quadrant has numerous double- or triple-inked squares. The grid took me about twice as long as a typical grid, but the meta was relatively easy.

Solved! Didn't really enjoy the grid, but the meta was fun once I got there. I think I have a bead on the red herring, but I may need a few more puzzles to put it together...

Update: okay, I definitely am on the right track for the both red herring and the mega meta, but I think I still need a few more puzzles to be sure of my answers. This is still a step up from last year though, when the red herring and mega meta were so closely connected that I found the red herring mechanism in February and used it to guess the mega meta by March without ever coming close to the intended mechanism for the mega.

C=64 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:19 pm Agreed -- my northeast quadrant has numerous double- or triple-inked squares. The grid took me about twice as long as a typical grid, but the meta was relatively easy.

I like to solve most printed crosswords in pen, too. But I keep this handy!
(Exceptions: Cryptics, Rows Garden, and other variety puzzles still done in pencil).

The grid kicked my butt for a long time, but the meta made it worth it. I am a huge fan of Peter’s puzzles.

Tough grid! Loved the meta mechanism. Straighforward but fun to discover.

BethA wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:39 pm

C=64 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:19 pm Agreed -- my northeast quadrant has numerous double- or triple-inked squares. The grid took me about twice as long as a typical grid, but the meta was relatively easy.

I like to solve most printed crosswords in pen, too. But I keep this handy!

188B5C99-8F1D-4B21-91C6-91778C66079D.jpeg

(Exceptions: Cryptics, Rows Garden, and other variety puzzles still done in pencil).

I've said this before but iPad + Apple Pencil is the pro way to solve any PDF puzzle. I've saved reams of paper over the years and I don't want to go back.

sharkicicles wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:14 pm

BethA wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:39 pm

C=64 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:19 pm Agreed -- my northeast quadrant has numerous double- or triple-inked squares. The grid took me about twice as long as a typical grid, but the meta was relatively easy.

I like to solve most printed crosswords in pen, too. But I keep this handy!

188B5C99-8F1D-4B21-91C6-91778C66079D.jpeg

(Exceptions: Cryptics, Rows Garden, and other variety puzzles still done in pencil).

I've said this before but iPad + Apple Pencil is the pro way to solve any PDF puzzle. I've saved reams of paper over the years and I don't want to go back.

I've bored the heck out of muggles promoting the use of Excel to mark-up & list possible answers for metas, saving paper, ink, etc. Can I get an "AMEN!"? I do my best to create these forms for metas & post links publicly for non-subscription metas and PM links privately for subscription metas to those who request them. I still use the Excel forms when it takes me longer than 45 minutes to solve.

Having said that, I fully agree with sharkicicles use of the iPad & Apple pen. I do the same with my Microsoft Surface & pen, sometimes. However, I always solve the grid via PUZ or online file, first, & almost always on my phone. I then use Excel or the Surface pen strictly to mark-up copies. It works well and is easier than paper & pen. Personally, I prefer using Excel when using my Surface, but the pen works well, too, after I've saved the filled-out grid as a PDF.

Interestingly, my experimenting with Surface & pen led me to using my phone & a Waysse stylus/pen, particularly if my solving goes into a second day. This allows me to play with solutions on the go when I find a few minutes to revisit. So, lately, I find myself using my phone, for the grid & initial attempt to solve, then I move on to a combination of phone & Excel.

Joe Ross wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:30 pm

sharkicicles wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:14 pm

BethA wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:39 pm

I've bored the heck out of muggles promoting the use of Excel to mark-up & list possible answers for metas, saving paper, ink, etc. Can I get an "AMEN!"? I do my best to create these forms for metas & post links publicly for non-subscription metas and PM links privately for subscription metas to those who request them. I still use the Excel forms when it takes me longer than 45 minutes to solve.

AMEN